kscans

Chapter 9 - A Bouquet for a Nameless Royal

"Pardon the intrusion."

When they returned to the office in the Royal Castle, an esteemed guest was relaxing in front of the desk.

"Could you please refrain from trespassing, Your Highness Raoul?" Litt said with a weary expression. Raoul, seated in the chair, chuckled.

"You work quickly. I grew tired of waiting." A large sheet of paper was spread across the desk—one that Litt had transcribed.

"I had no idea you were so passionate about the Summer Palace renovations." Litt gave the frozen Touli a light pat on the head and hung his coat on the wall.

"Touli, please prepare some High Grown tea from the Catarhush estate in the southern territories."

"Y-Yes! Right away, sir!"

"Your words are all jumbled."

"But it’s His Highness Raoul! In person!" Touli cried, his voice thick with tears.

"It would have been nice if you’d sent an advance messenger, you know," Litt said, glancing sideways at Raoul, who simply recrossed his legs.

"Under normal circumstances, perhaps. But this is a private visit during my break. There’s no need for such formalities."

"Get back to work."

At his master’s casual remark, Touli let out a squeak of terror.

"What are you saying, Lord Litt?! You’re speaking to the First Prince! That’s treason! It’s off with your head!"

"When you get this flustered, it’s quite fun to tease you," Raoul said, his purple eyes narrowing.

"M-My apologies! I’ll bring the hot water at once!" Touli bolted from the office like a startled rabbit.

"Compared to him, you’re no fun at all."

"I’d rather not be compared to my attendant."

Litt sat in a chair by the window. Beyond the glass pane, a gray, overcast sky was visible.

"So, what can I do for you?"

"I do appreciate your directness."

"Ehh, I’d rather not be appreciated by you, Your Hiiiighness."

"Such clownish speech. One would never think you were in the presence of the First Prince."

"You’re on a break, aren’t you? Besides, Your Highness Raoul is not the Crown Prince. Sucking up to you offers no advantage."

A dangerous light flickered in the prince’s purple eyes.

"Oh my. Have I offended you, Your Highness?"

"…I’m surprised to learn you have any intention of pandering to royal authority at all."

"Of course I don’t. Just let me go back to my elegant life in the countryside already."

"That is up to His Majesty."

"I figured as much." Litt sighed, making no effort to hide it.

"What is His Majesty thinking?"

"He is certainly thinking something."

Raoul pointed to the large sheet of paper. It was a record of the discussions between government officials regarding the cost and process of the Summer Palace renovations.

"He intends to work on… the library as well?" A shadow crossed Litt’s green eyes, but only for an instant.

"Seems related to His Majesty’s crazy new order. The ‘Book Submission Decree,’ was it?"

"To be precise, it is ‘The Royal Decree for the Collection and Preservation of Books, Illustrations, and Materials within the Kingdom of Fulmia.’"

"It’s too long."

"Don’t tell me." Litt and Raoul sighed in unison.

"So. What’s the plan after collecting every book in the country?"

"What do you think, Litt?"

"You should stop trying to test people by throwing everything at them like that."

"I am selective about whom I ask for an opinion."

"I’m so honored. The succession and development of knowledge, perhaps?"

"…Correct," Raoul affirmed. Amidst their lighthearted banter were sharp blades. There was no room for carelessness.

"The neighboring country of Cymbal is promoting commercial development based on scholarship," Litt said. "Our Silver Snow Country, surrounded by snowy mountains, will likely follow suit. But not as a cheap imitation."

"Tell me, you haven’t dyed that hair of yours brown, have you? And those green eyes—they aren’t fake, are they?"

"Huh?" Litt was taken aback.

"Eh? What? They’re one hundred percent natural… What’s wrong, Your Highness Raoul? Are you feeling unwell?"

For once, his concern was genuine. As Litt started to rise from his chair, Raoul stopped him with a gesture.

"It’s nothing. Forget it."

"Is your younger brother causing you that much stress?" Words spoken without malice often cut the deepest.

Raoul rested his cheek on his hand, his elbow on the armrest of the chair.

"He’s a reckless dreamer, you know."

"Ah, yes. About that… I honestly do feel a little bad." Raoul’s eyebrows shot up.

"A little?"

"Perhaps it is wisest for me to keep my mouth shut here." A faint, crooked smile touched Raoul’s lips.

"It’s partly his temperament. An imaginative richness that allows him to superimpose stories onto reality, one might say. It’s a talent I, who can only see reality and not dreams, do not possess."

A bird flew past the window. It soared across the gray sky, on and on, relying on nothing but its own body and wings.

"Litt. You are—"

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Touli rushed in, out of breath.

"I’ll bring the tea right away!"

"No, that’s fine. I’m returning to my duties."

Raoul stood and walked toward the open door.

"My break is over. You, too, Litt. Drink your tea and get back to work."

Rising from his chair, Litt placed a hand on his chest and bowed deeply.

"As you wish." From beyond the window came the faint cry of a bird.

"Um… Lord Litt?" Touli alone was left out of the loop.

"Was my timing bad?"

"Not at all. Thanks for chasing away the pest."

"You’re really going to be charged with treason one of these days!"

"Hahaha. I’ll be careful."

Litt rolled up the paper on the desk, tied it with a string, and leaned it against the wall. He sat in his chair and opened a drawer.

"Eh? Are you going to start writing the invitations?"

"His Highness himself just lit a fire under me, didn’t he?"

He stacked the Royal Family's letter paper on the desk and prepared his ink and quill pen.

"Before that, Lord Litt. When I went to get the water, Mizuha-sama entrusted me with a letter for you." Touli handed him a wax-sealed envelope.

"From her? That’s unusual." He peeled off the seal with a peri. Inside the envelope was a single sheet of paper.

"Hmm…" His green eyes narrowed.

"What is it?" Touli asked while warming a teacup.

"A request to ghostwrite a love letter. Keep it secret."

"Of course."

Litt casually reached out, took a sheet of paper and his quill, and scribbled a reply. He placed both sheets back into the same envelope. He dripped wax onto it and sealed it without pressing a crest.

"Touli, once you’ve made the tea, take this to Mizuha."

"You’re so fast. Understood."

Touli took the letter, trading it for the cup of tea.